complications

Madonna reveals why her biopic fell apart: 'I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget'

Madonna said she even proposed alternative solutions to keep costs down

JUNE 22, 2026 1:36 PM EDTJUN 22, 2026, 1:36 PM EDT

Madonna is shedding new light on why her long-awaited biopic never made it to the big screen.

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The Queen of Pop recently revealed that creative and financial disagreements ultimately derailed the project, which had been in development for years and was set to star Julia Garner as the music icon.

Madonna in 1986 — Madonna explained that she needed a large budget to properly tell the story of her life and career.

“I was supposed to make a movie about my life,” Madonna told Interview Magazine.

“I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting.”

The film was first announced in 2020, with Diablo Cody and Erin Cressida Wilson attached to help develop the screenplay. Over time, Madonna assumed full control of the writing process, determined to tell her story on her own terms.

Julia Garner will play Madonna in an upcoming biopic — The singer said she spent years developing the project, which was set to star Julia Garner as the music icon.

According to the singer, the biggest obstacle became the scope of the project itself.

“We had a falling out, me and Universal, regarding budget because I needed [more money put into it]. I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget. You know what I mean? It’s not going to be a [smaller, independent film],” she explained.

Madonna said she even proposed alternative solutions to keep costs down, including moving production overseas.

There's a Madonna biopic in development — The Queen of Pop recalled proposing to film in Serbia to reduce costs, but said the idea was rejected.

“Maybe they just didn’t believe in me. One of their first reactions was, ‘We don’t believe you’d stay in Serbia more than four days.’ And I said, ‘Did you read the script?’ My whole life has been survival. I’m not going there for a holiday,” she recalled.

After the movie stalled, Madonna explored a different path. Netflix expressed interest in turning the story into a limited series, but that effort brought a new set of complications.

“I was in limbo when that fell apart, and then Netflix reached out to make a series,” she said.

American singer Madonna performs during the MTV Video Awards, New York, September 16th 1984. (Photo by Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) — After the film stalled, Madonna explored turning the project into a Netflix series before that effort also fell apart.

“That was a whole other long process, because I couldn’t use the script I had with Universal unless I bought it from them for an extortionist’s price, even though I wrote it.”

The singer spent nearly a year trying to reimagine the project for television, but eventually concluded that the format wasn't the right fit.

“That’s just the way it goes… You have to meet a lot of writers and find the right showrunner, and I couldn’t find one,” she explained.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Winner Madonna backstage at Golden Globe Awards Show, January 19, 1997 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images) — Madonna revealed that budget disputes and creative differences ultimately led to the collapse of her long-planned biopic.

“This went on for another eight or nine months. I was like, ‘Good thing I have another job because I need to work, I need to create. I need to do what I was put on this earth to do.’”

For now, Madonna appears to have put the biopic behind her and shifted her attention back to music.

The superstar is preparing to release her 15th studio album, Confessions II, on July 3. The project serves as a spiritual follow-up to her 2005 dance-pop hit record Confessions on a Dance Floor and marks her first album since 2019’s Madame X.

Sabrina continues to build strong momentum across both music and entertainment, with her recent work reinforcing her status as one of pop’s most visible breakout stars. — The Grammy winner eventually stepped away from the project and shifted her focus back to music.

The new release reunites Madonna with longtime collaborator Stuart Price and has already been accompanied by a splashy promotional campaign.

In recent weeks, she surprised fans with an impromptu performance in New York City's Times Square.

She unveiled a star-studded short film featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate Moss, Julia Garner, Shygirl, Richard E. Grant, Honey Dijon, and more.